Budget shifts include major funding boosts for student organizations and new initiatives, alongside sharp reductions to Homecoming and Student Media.
Jonathan Roman | Staff Writer
SGA approved a sweeping $20 million budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 earlier this year. An increase of a million dollars compared to fiscal year 2024-2025.
SGA typically begins the process of creating a budget at the start of the new year. A key change in the 2025-2026 budget was the consolidation of four organizations: the Centers for Student Engagement, Pride Center, Women’s Center, and Multicultural Council, all grouped and funded with $200,000. SGA included a new Special Emoluments Council with a $140,000 budget to support student leaders.
Several organizations saw striking increases. The Registered Student Organization RSO, received an increase from $60,000 to $397,201. A newly created group, Student Experiences, has been given a $535,500 budget. Orientation and Family Programs rose from $188,000 to $225,000. The Medical Student Council rose from $82,500 to $110,000. Also, FIU in the DC budget grew from $82,500 to $110,000.
However, with the many increases in funding, the budget delivered considerable cuts. Homecoming was reduced by almost half, dropping from $640,000 to $350,000. The Student Media budget was also cut from $250,000 to $160,000. And lastly, the Model United Nations budget fell from $140,000 to $120,000.
SGA BBC Housing Senator, Tanner Croddy, was involved in the budget. He said to PantherNow, “RSO, homecoming is partially funded by SGA and others, whereas RSO is almost exclusively funded by SGA. So one of the reasons why money was moved towards RSO is that it will have greater fiscal efficiency and impact there”.
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